RichSPK

I've had plenty of pedestrians and cage drivers make fun of me. The only comment I remember getting from another cyclist was 'are you touring?' I was just riding to work.

Sometimes I ride in Spandex, sometimes I ride in khaki or denim shorts and a tee shirt. I prefer riding in cycling shorts with a chamois because I find it more comfortable, and the pockets on the back of a cycling jersey are awesome for stashing my phone and a water bottle (just remember to never pour water over your back when there's a phone in your jersey pocket).

I do judge other riders for putting their own safety at risk or for doing stuff that reflects badly on all cyclists, but I keep it to myself.

badger1

+1

A careful reading of this thread does suggest that it may slowly be morphing into either a 'waving' or a 'those arrogant roadies' thread. The current 'Grant Petersen' thread is showing similar encouraging signs.

Jumpski

An expensive bike means nothing! They're just insecure about themselves. Have fun riding........

Machka 

Yeah, it happens every year about this time. The robins return, the flowers bloom, these threads appear.

Geosammy

It was quite clear to me, that I was being addressed by this group of riders.
I'm just surprised that this happened. I have nothing against riders in full gear.
It's the elitist attitude that I have an aversion of.
I ride purely due to necessity. Wearing full riding gear, would not be practical for me.

Doohickie

Same here, and I've also passed some of those weekend racers going up the hills.

I do a Saturday morning breakfast ride, and although the group tries to be welcoming to all, there is a certain uniformity of nicer road bikes and riders wearing full kit. I usually wear their jersey and some bike pants on those rides, just to fit in, but sometimes I'll ride in cargo shorts and a t-shirt or whatever. On a particularly cool day I wore long pants with the leg rolled up while I rode my fixie. One guy who was newer to the group looked over at me mid-ride as I kept up the pace with everyone else, and he said, "You're pretty fast for someone in jeans." I told him the engine is the same regardless of what I'm wearing any particular day.

jefnvk

Meh, what others think of me is of little concern. Dipwads exists in all hobbies and forms of life, it really isn't an efficient use of my time to give two craps about what I'm doing wrong in their mind.

Although if I was feeling particularly snarky at the moment, maybe I would have let out a little "the race must have dropped you guys?" in their direction...

Doohickie

Whenever I get hate from someone while I'm on my bike (be it from cars or other cyclists), I try to remember to deflect it with humor. I've conditioned myself to respond as such; if I can't think of anything particularly clever to say I'll just yell back, "I love you too, man!" It usually gets the other side smiling and breaks the tension.

ridingfool

Geo don't feel bad at all I also am one of those riders that ride all decked out and ride thousands of miles a year I have seen it all out there but when I come across a rider like u I have all the respect in the world for riders like u ur riding for the right reason not cause of fancy cloths or expensive bikes but cause u love the sport of it don't get me wrong the cloths serve a purpose if used right but I much rather be in shorts and a plain tee to but not practical on a hundred mile ride any way keep putting in those miles geo and remember people like that are just ignorant

ted m

Ive gotten a small amout of hate/contempt from some riders as I'm pretty overweight. It's rare as most cyclists are very nice. I've been to bike stores where I felt very unwelcome but there are other stores who love my money.

I try to be a safe rider and enjoy my time in the saddle. It's all I can do. I just wish I could ride more often.

nickw

The bike was invented for transportation and morphed into racing, your keeping it more real than those guys. Any serious cyclist isn't going to make a comment. I think some guys have an in-between stage where they are not new riders but certainly are not seasoned, but get a ****ty elitist attitude. All the serious riders I race, ride with and know would never say anything....and are typically the first guys to be supportive, wave and help if they see somebody in need....spandex and all.

Doohickie

You're such a forum snob!

deapee

The group I ride with ranges from guys that used to ride pro to people that just want to stroll leisurely. On the slower rides, the front group will stop at the turns and we wait for every single person. Sometimes mechanical issues get addressed at those stops, etc...

But no matter someone's skill, what they ride, or what they choose to wear, I've never seen anyone look negatively at another cyclist that we've passed along our route. Maybe if you're doing idiotic stuff, I'll think you're well, an idiot.

I see people a lot out riding solo either going the other direction or the same direction, and I have the utmost respect for any person that wants to get on a bike.

I've been on leisurely strolls on my own in basketball shorts and a t-shirt and gotten some smug looks, and in the grand scheme of things I might be a slower rider...but I've turned recovery rides into all out hammer fests just to leave kitted out dudes at the bottom of a hill to never see me again. Your own fitness would be a good way to shut ignorant people up and change their opinions. Everyone can get there...if you want to.

Geosammy

Overall, I've receive very positive attitudes from lots of people during my rides.
I mostly ride to my local grocery stores or to the pharmacy. For whatever my daily/weekly needs might necessitate.
I rarely see any other riders during my short trips to and from the store.

Booger1

Those type of people think they are yelling at other people that actually give a crap......

FullGas

there's a small disconnect in there somewhere...

you seem pretty proud about dropping someone based on what they were wearing.

simplybao

My thought is to ignore them or laugh back at them for being foolish for spending loads of money on bikes that they'll never be able to exploit the full potential of and they are pretending to be racers. Yell back at them "PRETENDER!", LOL. Seriously though, I'd just ignore them. Who cares what you wear when riding a bike? I love riding in my area on the MuPs because I see all shapes and sizes and ages. It makes me smile to see all these different people out riding and enjoying themselves or trying to get in a workout. Cycling doesn't have to be serious. I think those guys are missing out on life if that's all they think it is.

I have expensive bikes and I hardly ever conform to what you're "supposed" to wear. I wear t-shirts, MTB gear, all kinds of stuff on my road bike. I get looks sure, but so what? I'm a 41 y/o smoker, I ride along smoking a cigarette wearing race kit just to get a laugh or smug looks from people. I don't care.

I ride in charity events, gran Fondos and I wear whatever I feel like those days. If I get looks and laughs, I laugh too, it sort of disarms them. I get looks of disgust and I scowl right back at them. It's fun. My husband gets a kick out of it.

So just ride and laugh along with them. It'll make you feel better and don't give them a second thought.

PepeM

Seems to me that you're part of the problem. Smug looks? Shut ignorant people up? What happened to 'the utmost respect for any person that wants to get on a bike?'

deapee

How is getting left behind mean? How is it even the least bit condescending to be left in the dust unless you're the type of person that thinks you're better than anyone who doesn't dress as kitted-out as you do?

I'm just riding...

FullGas

and thumping your chest because you were faster than someone who dressed differently than you did.

hypocritical, no...?

deapee

Thumping my chest?

Try just riding my bike.

So I turned out to be faster than someone that thought they were better than someone who didn't dress as kitted out as they did...and they learned that they are probably a bit out of shape.
I wouldn't do anything physically, verbally, or through body language. I'd just ride.

I'm sorry that it hurt their feelings.

I'm 34 years old and I've lived my life with those beliefs. I stand up for anyone and everyone who can't or won't stand up for themselves, always have, and always will. It makes me sick that some people would look at another person and judge them and scoff at them because they don't seem as fast or as skilled as them, or didn't invest as much into their bike kit as they did. So yeah, I get some enjoyment out of doing things like that. But it's not mean in any way. It's a valuable lesson in life. I'm just glad that I get to be the one every now and then that teaches that lesson.

Think what you want.

Doohickie

True, but he'd never tell them to their face.

FullGas

how do you know that they thought they were better than anyone else..?

you're simply projecting your own biases.

most people would think that qualifies as being hypocritical.

deapee

So be it. If they didn't think that, then no harm no foul. I carried about my business and they're none the wiser. If they did care, then I'm sure it stung. You're not going to convince me of anything, so if that's your intent, you can quit while you're ahead. The fact of the matter is, as I stated, if they *didn't* think that they were better than the 'underdressed' guy on a bike, then they don't care...and if they did think they were better, then they got what they had coming to them; a reality check. The result is a matter of their interpretation, and their interpretation is a matter of their preconceived notion of superiority. If they didn't think they were better, then they won't care...etc, etc, ad nauseam...

NYMXer

I was a fresh new rider only nine months ago and showed up for my first group club bike ride wearing nothing but shorts, sneakers and a T-shirt while wearing a fanny pack.

i was the textbook Fred but no one laughed at me criticize me or made me feel uncomfortable. During the ride I learned about rules of the road and calling out cars dogs potholes and other obstacles that could ruin a good ride.

after the ride we had nice conversations talking about technique bikes and other things but never about clothing, shoes or pedals. As the weeks went by I learned about cycling shorts and the padding cycling jerseys and the pockets in the back and the importance of clip in pedals and cycling shoes .

It wasn't until I moved up in my ability grading as a rider that people said hey bunch a try this try that or where this so where that but never wasn't forced upon me .

So with all that said I really got a question if that ever happened and that fellow riders really went out of their way to mock you, maybe where you live but not here I live